Mexico demands Sotheby’s halt auction in Paris of pre-Hispanic artifacts from Mexico

Associated Press, 3/21/2013

The Mexican government is demanding that Sotheby’s auction house halt the planned sale of 51 pre-Columbian Mexican artifacts, arguing they are protected national historical pieces. The National Institute of Anthropology and History said Wednesday that Mexico has sent a diplomatic note to the French government seeking assistance in heading off the auction scheduled in Paris for Friday and Saturday.

It also implied that some of the artifacts offered in what is known as the 300-piece Barbier-Mueller Collection of Pre-Columbian Art are fakes or imitations.

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French woman freed in Mexico kidnapping case

Los Angeles Times, 1/23/2013

In a surprising climax to a case that has strained Franco-Mexican relations for years, Mexico’s Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the immediate release of Florence Cassez, a young French woman serving a 60-year sentence for her involvement with a Mexican kidnapping ring.

Cassez, 38, was arrested in 2005 along with her Mexican boyfriend, whom authorities said was the head of a kidnapping group called the Zodiacs. Although Cassez lived in a compound where victims were held, she maintained that she had committed no crimes.

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World Cup: Mexico defeats France, 2-0

Dallas Morning News, 6/17/2010

Last spring, he was still living at home with his parents, attending college classes and keeping his room nice and clean.

Now Javier Hernandez is Mexico’s newest futbol sensation, heir to a rich family legacy and hero of the national team’s 2-0 victory over France.

Less than 10 minutes after entering Thursday’s game, Hernandez scored the vital opening goal to break open what had been a tense standoff.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco, 15 years his senior, added a penalty kick to all but seal Mexico’s place in the World Cup round of 16.

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UK, France, Germany advise against travel to Mexico

Reuters, 4/28/2009

Britain, France and Germany advised their nationals against non-vital travel to Mexico because of the swine flu outbreak. ”We are now advising against all but essential travel to Mexico,” Britain’s Foreign Office said on its website late on Monday.

The French foreign ministry said it was strongly advising against going to Mexico without an “imperative reason,” and Germany’s foreign ministry Tuesday also advised against travelling to Mexico unnecessarily. The U.S. State Department earlier issued a similar notice.

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France offers Mexico police aid

Sarkozy

BBC, 3/10/2009

Mr Sarkozy offered his Mexican counterpart Felipe Calderon help with police training and technology for gathering intelligence.

The two leaders also unveiled plans to build a $550m (£397m) Franco-European helicopter factory in Mexico.

Mexico is currently engaged in a battle with feuding drugs cartels.

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Sarkozy Visits Mexico to Prepare G-20 Response to Global Crisis

Bloomberg, 3/9/2009

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is making his first state visit to Mexico to help prepare the Group of 20 most industrial nations’s response to the global economic crisis and oversee bilateral agreements with companies such as Thales SA and Sanofi-Aventis SA. France’s 2.2 billion euros ($2.8 billion) in exports to Mexico last year lagged behind those of Germany, Spain and Italy. Sarkozy and Calderon will also discuss measures the G-20 will propose at an April 2 summit to increase financial supervision and regulation to shore up the banking system and stem the global recession.

France’s security and defense company Thales will sign today a contract with Mexico City to develop a video-surveillance network aimed at curbing gang violence. Thales will jointly build the close-circuit television (CCTV) system with billionaire Carlos Slim’s Telmex Internacional SAB, according to French newspaper Le Monde.

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